1440 News is a U.S.-based digital media company and newsletter service that delivers concise, fact-based daily summaries of the most important news from around the world. Following are their top stories of 2025.
Winter (January-March)
>Los Angeles wildfires: The Palisades and Eaton fires burned nearly 40,000 acres, destroyed more than 16,000 structures, and displaced thousands, making them the most destructive in Southern California history.
>Trump sworn in as 47th president: Donald Trump was sworn in as the 47th president of the United States on Jan. 20, beginning a new administration and setting the stage for his agenda, including on trade and immigration.
>Astronauts return to Earth: On March 18, NASA astronauts Sunita “Suni” Williams and Barry “Butch” Wilmore returned after over nine months aboard the International Space Station, following delays in their original mission plan.
Spring (April-June)
> Tariffs and trade agreements: The US unveiled a broad set of “Liberation Day” tariffs on most imports and higher reciprocal rates on select countries. The measures, along with ongoing trade negotiations, reshaped global trade flows.
>Pope Francis passes away: Pope Francis passed away April 21 at age 88 of a stroke and irreversible heart failure, leading to a conclave and the election of Pope Leo as the new head of the Catholic Church.
Summer (July-September)
> Central Texas floods: In early July, extreme rainfall triggered rapid flash flooding across the Texas Hill Country, killing at least 135 people (including 27 campers and counselors at an all-girls summer camp) and damaging thousands of structures.
> Nvidia reaches milestones: On July 9, Nvidia became the first company to reach a $4T market valuation (and later $5T in October) as demand for its chips surged, cementing Nvidia’s role as the backbone supplier of the generative AI boom.
> Chicago immigration raids: In early September, Chicago authorities carried out immigration raids with ICE, kicking off multicity enforcement efforts and highlighting tensions between federal policy and sanctuary-city policies.
> Charlie Kirk assassination: On Sept. 10, conservative activist and Turning Point USA cofounder Charlie Kirk was shot and killed while speaking at Utah Valley University, drawing national attention.
Fall (October-December)
> Nobel Peace Prize: On Oct. 10, Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado received the Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts promoting democratic rights and peaceful political change in Venezuela.
> Louvre Museum heist: On Oct. 19, thieves stole eight pieces of French crown jewels from the Louvre in Paris, valued at an estimated $100M, in one of the museum’s most significant security breaches in decades.
> Federal government shutdown: From Oct. 1 to Nov. 12, the US federal government experienced a 43‑day shutdown, the longest in its history, after Congress failed to pass spending legislation. About 900,000 federal employees were furloughed.
> Gene therapy breakthrough: A first-of-its-kind gene therapy appears to have reversed Hunter syndrome in a 3-year-old boy, offering hope for treating the rare, fatal genetic disease that current therapies cannot fully address.
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